Freya Mikaelson (Riley Voelkel)

Freya Mikaelson is a powerful witch introduced in the second season as a recurring character and promoted to regular in seasons 3 and 4. She was the firstborn of Mikael and Esther, and given as a payment to her aunt Dahlia in return for the magic necessary to allow Esther to have Freya and her siblings in the first place.

Seasons 2-3

In season 2, her storyline centered around reuniting with her siblings, and defeating Dahlia from whom she had been running and hiding for a thousand years. Freya told her younger brother that she almost had a son, but was forced to kill him – not wanting her child to grow up as she did; as a slave. Finally free at the end of the season, Freya was accepted by her family, including her half brother Klaus, who asked her to help raise his daughter Hope, which she accepted.

Freya didn’t have any love interests – her brother Kol stated he thought she was gay the first time they had met, as he couldn’t charm her into doing what he wanted. Freya laughed. In an earlier episode, Freya went out to have some fun, and brought home a guy, but they were interrupted by Klaus.

At the end of Season 3, Klaus was held prisoner by Marcel while Freya and the rest of her siblings were left in a deep sleep, giving Hayley enough time to come up with an antidote.

Season 4

In season 4, the show cast Christina Moses as a new bisexual werewolf, Keelin, and a love interest for Freya:

Keelin is an ER doctor, having just finished her residency, when she was taken prisoner by Hayley who needed to use her venom to wake up Freya and the rest of her family. Although Hayley gave her word that Keelin would be set free afterwards, when Freya woke up, she needed more venom and broke the deal. “When it comes to my family’s safety, I don’t negotiate” (episode 4×01)

In episode 4×03, Keelin was still a prisoner, cut up and not healing. As Freya helped with her injuries, Keelin explained that she used to date an orthopedic surgeon. One morning they went on a hike, because she was trying to impress her, but she broke her ankle. Her girlfriend was happy to help with rehab until the following morning when she saw her ankle as good as new and freaked out. Keelin then accessed the pathology lab and devised a treatment to help suppress her advanced healing traits. “Even a monster is still a biological organism. It wasn’t magic it was medicine”.

By the end of the episode, after Hayley tried to let Keelin go, and Freya went after her to get her back, Freya realized Keelin could help destroy Marcel’s venom and made a deal with her: “My magic, your medicine”.

Freya and Keelin

Freya and Keelin continued to grow close and spend time together, initially as part of the deal, working on the weapon to kill Marcel, and afterwards because Keelin offered to stay and help (4×05) as they grew to trust (and like) each other. In episode 4×04, Freya gave Keelin a ring to grant total control of her werewolf nature, at first with a spell she couldn’t take off as insurance, but by the end of the episode, she altered it so that Keelin could keep the benefits minus the leash. “Is this an apology or a thank you?” “I don’t know, I’m not particularly good at either one”.

Freya did later apologize for what she did to Keelin earlier in the season. She and Keelin had scenes together in every episode between 4×03 and 4×07 (latest episode). In episode 4×06, Freya invited Keelin to a Michaelson party, and after it didn’t go as planned, to a jazz bar.

In 4×07 Keelin told Freya she was the reason she wanted to stay in New Orleans, and Freya kissed her.

Both characters were missing from episode 4×08. They appeared again in episode 4×09, with Freya working to save her brother Elijah, captured by the Hallow, while Keelin encouraged her (and also had a scene playing with Hope)

Female love interests:

Keelin (Christina Moses, recurring)

Relationship story arc with a woman: Yes

No male love interests

Relationship story arc with a man: No

Filter Relationship Arc:

[1] A relationship story arc is defined as explicit, developed on screen, and lasting more than 3 episodes. It is listed as questionable or subtext if romance is only implied, mentioned instead of shown on screen, part of a dream sequence, or otherwise not explicit for the viewer.[2] Sweeps episodes air in February, May, July and November, the periods when advertising rates are set. A character is marked as "sweeps" when there is a very limited number of episodes that address their sexuality, all air during sweeps period, and the storyline is otherwise ignore/dropped.

Carina MacKenzie‏ @cadlymackNothing about this episode in particular, but I do want fans to feel safe watching their story unfold. We heard the BYG outcry & listened.I don’t want to suggest an easy road — their relationship isn’t the healthiest. But we won’t fall into that trope & hurt LGBT fans again.